Some responses from tax bill letter

ALPENA -At the last Alpena County Intergovernmental Council meeting Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Director Jim Klarich proposed a plan he hoped would help attract residents to the Alpena area, and potentially new business.

Klarich asked the townships and the city to include a letter with the summer taxes reaching out to seasonal residents informing them of the employment of business opportunities in the area. During Thursday’s meeting Klarich updated the council.

Klarich said the City of Alpena included the letter he drafted, as well as Green Township. Several other townships already had the bills sealed in envelopes and could not be reopened. He said from the letters that were sent out he received three responses from people interested in moving to Alpena to work.

“Three may not seem like a lot, but it only takes one to move here for employment or open a business and then one can turn into 10 and 10 can turn into 100,” Klarich said. “We need to reach out to the seasonal resident and tell them we would love to have them here year round and that there are opportunities for them here.”

After some discussion some of the townships expressed an interest in including the letter in the winter taxes or next years summer taxes.

In other business:

the county provided an update on the unmanned aircraft project and the MIAASC’s effort to recruit drone business in Michigan. Board of commissioners Chairman Cam Habermehl said the property on M-32 is almost ready to be developed and the county has been contacted by interested parties about the endeavor.

the city updated the council on the events that took place downtown and also introduced new Planning and Development Director Adam Poll.

Chamber Executive Director Jackie Krawczak made a presentation on how the chamber and the Alpena Convention and Visitors Bureau use technology to reach out to people and promote Alpena and its businesses. Krawczak updated the council on the joint effort between the chamber and CVB on a smartphone app that will lend assistance to visitors and the local business community.